Fork-clamp.



H. H. HERKENS.

.form CLAMP, APPLICATiON FILED JULY 2, 1915.

Patented Nom 1.3

mman-cas@ reizriaem,

UNTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERKEN I-IERONYMUS HERKENS, OF ,l ILLINOIS.

FORK-CLAMP.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov..13, Y19.1.7.

Application filed .T-uly'27, 1916: Serial No. 111,701.

To all whom z5 may concern:

Be it known that I, HERREN a citizen of the Unitedl States, residingfat Gilman, in the county of 'Iroquois andState of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Fork-Clamp, of which the following f is a specification. i

The present invention relates to a clampl the free end of the tongue being clampedl beneath the strap against the lhandle when the clamp is in position.

The invention will ybe bestunderstood from a consideration'of the` following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part'of this specification, with the further underA standing that whilethe drawing shows a practical formv of the invention the latter is not confined toV strict conformity with the showing of the drawing, but maybe changed and modified so long as such changes and modifications 'come within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a front elevation of a fork, the handle and the lower'ends of the prongs or tines being broken away, and showing a clamp, constructed according to the present invention, applied to thel fork.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section, taken longitudinally on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the tongue secured beneath lthe strap `'or clamp.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section, taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, showing the position of the strap when tightened.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on the line H of Fig. 2, showing the location of the tongue when applied.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the blank from which the improved clamp is formed.

j Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of a slightly different type of fork, showing the improved clamp applied thereto.

Referring to the drawing, wherein like parts are designated by similar numerals of reference throughout the several views,` 10 designates the ordinary wooden-'handle'of a fork. As best shownin Fig. 2,rthe handle is incased at its lower end in a ferrulc 11, which latter is reinforced and strengthened by a thimble 12, engaging'about'the lower end of the ferrule, and being suitably slotted to receive therethrough the transversely eX- tending head`13 ofthe fork. A shank 1st projects from the head 13- into thehandle 10. The head -13 is'provided inthe usual manner .with tines or1prongs 15 in any -su-itable number, and of the usual form. r Frequently, the handled() dries out and the head ofthe fork becomes loose, andfre.- quently becomesrdetached. To vovercome these difficulties, the present invention pro videsa strap 16 of flexible -metal's'uch as Zinc sheeting adapted to encircle the ferrule'v 11, and has its opposite ends aperturedwand turnedl outwardly to provide supporting lips for a Clamping bolt 17, whichfis passed through the lips and tightenedv to. contract.

thef strap 16 about the ferrule above the thimble. From Fig. 2, particularly, it will be noted that the upper end of the tliimble 12, which terminates a shortv distance above the lower end of they ferrule 11, provides. an annular abrupt shoulder`-18 against which the strap 16umay-engage when the strap is secured about the ferrule whereby it is secprely held onthe handle and will -not slip O rlhe strap 1G is provided with a preferably integraltongue 19 oflike material, which extends from one long edge ofthe strap,and is-adapted to be looped/.from one. sideof the thimbleL12 about the fork head 13', and; to be carried from the tlatter against the opposite side of the thimble.

The tonguel has, intermediate its ends, a longitudinal slot 220 vadapted to receive 'one i prongl of the fork, and the slot is of sufficient length to permit adjustment of the clamp to forks of different sizes. The free end of the tongue is adapted to be lodged between the strap 16 and the ferrule 11 with the extremity of the tongue projecting beyond the strap. When the strap 16 is tightened, the end of the tongue 19 is bound against the ferrule 11, and the portions thereof over the shoulder 18 are offset, as shown in Fig. 2, to hold the strap in place and to prevent the free end of the tongue from pulling out of the strap. If desired,v

the free projecting extremity of the tongue 19 may be overturned upon the strap 16, as shown.

In Fig. 6, the clamp is disclosed as applied to a diierent type of fork, or that type of fork, wherein there is no central tine, so that the tongue 19 is merely Wrapped around the middle portion of the head 13a. The tines or prongs 15aL are arranged in suitably spaced apartrelation at the opposite sides of the tongue 19.

The tongue 19 may -be formed upon the strap 1G near one end of the latter) as shoivn in Fig. 5, so that when the clamping screw 17 is in place, the same will lie at one side of the fork out of the Way,

Vhat is claimed is :w

1. A blank for a :fork clamp comprising an elongated body portion providing a strap adapted to be bent about and to en circle the handle of a fork and having means` at its terminals for binding the strap upon the handle, the blank also having an elongated portion projecting from one edge of said body portion at an angle thereto.I` and of a length sui'iicient to be looped about the head of a fork and engaged at its free end With the body portion and held in place thereby. Y

2. The combinationivith a fork having a handle, and a thimble upon one end of the handle providing an abrupt shoulder about the handle, of a strap encircling the handle above said shoulder, a tongue on the'strap at one side of the handle adapted tc be looped about the head of the fork, and returned against the opposite side oit said handle With its free end between the latter and said strap, whereby upon the tightening of the strap the .tongue is clamped against the opposite sides of said handle, and is oilset over the shoulder vto secure the tongue in place.

3. A blank for a fork clamp comprising an elongated body portion providing a strap adapted to be bent about and to encircle the handle of a fork and having openings in its terminals to receive a clamping bolt to bind the strap upon the handle, the blank also having an elongated portion projecting from one edge and intermediate the ends of said body portion providing a tongue of a length suiiicient to be looped about the head of the fork and to be clamped at its :tree end betWeen the strap and the handle.

el. A blank for a fork clamp comprising an elongated body portion providing a strap adapted to be engaged about the handle ot' a fork and having apertures in its opposite terminals for the reception of a clamping bolt to bindthe strap on the handle, the blank also having an elongated projecting portion at one edge and intermediate the ends of said body portion providing a tongue adapted to be looped about the head of the fork, said tonguebeing provided With an opening intermediate its ends to receive therethrough the middle tine oi a fork When present, said tongue being of a length to engage about the head of the fork and project at its free end between the handle and the strap to secure the tongue in place when the strap is tightened. j

5. A fork clamp comprising a body portion in the form of strap adapted to encircle a handle, and a tongue connected With thebody portion and extending from one side of the same and adapted to be looped about the head of a fork, the treek end of he tongue being passed through the body portion and hooked around one edge of the same.

6. ln combination With a fork and ahandle7 the latter having aslioulder at one end, a strap encircling the handle above the shoulder, means for connecting the ends ofthe strap, and a tongue leading from one side of the strap at an angle thereto and of a length suilicient to be looped about the head of the fork, and have its free end con` nected to the strap and held in place thereby. ln testimony that l claim the foregoing as my ovvn, I have hereto atlixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.y

HERREN HIERONYMUS HERKENS. Witnesses :V

JRGEN Frniuons, P. R. Fnnnioris. y

Copies of this patent may be obtained for live cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

